The subtropical highland variety of the oceanic climate exists in elevated portions of the world that are within either the tropics or subtropics, though it is typically found in mountainous locations in some tropical countries. Despite the latitude, the higher altitudes of these regions mean that the climate tends to share characteristics with oceanic climates, though it also tends to experience noticeably drier weather during the "low-sun" season. In locations outside the tropics, other than the drying trend in the winter, subtropical highland climates tend to be essentially identical to an oceanic climate, with mild summers and noticeably cooler winters, plus, in some instances, some snowfall. In the tropics, a subtropical highland climate tends to feature spring-like weather year-round. Temperatures here remain relatively constant throughout the year and snowfall is seldom seen.Without the elevation, many of these regions would likely feature either tropical or humid subtropical climates.

The average temperature for the year in Debre Markos is 59.0°F (15°C). The warmest month, on average, is April with an average temperature of 64.0°F (17.8°C). The coolest month on average is July, with an average temperature of 57.0°F (13.9°C).

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Debre Markos is 52.6" (1336 mm). The month with the most precipitation on average is August with 12.0" (304.8 mm) of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is January with an average of 0.6" (15.2 mm).